Chapter 3

I spent the rest of the night making phone calls and sending texts to apologize to all the relatives and friends who had received invitations. By the time I was done, it was past midnight.

The summer night in the city was stiflingly hot, making me feel incredibly restless.

I found a quiet high-end bar. I wasn't trying to get wasted; I just wanted a drink to celebrate my newfound freedom.

But my tolerance was low. After just two glasses, my vision started to get a little blurry.

"Sera?"

A deep, baritone voice echoed beside me. A tall shadow approached, and it wasn't until he sat down on the barstool next to mine that I recognized him.

Liam Rutherford.

Carter's ultimate arch-rival. They had competed for grades in school and fought over multi-million dollar business contracts at work.

I squinted my eyes, leaning my cheek on one hand while swirling my glass with the other.

"What are you doing here?"

Liam raised an eyebrow, gently sliding my alcohol away and replacing it with a glass of ice water.

"I'm a single guy. Is it that weird for me to grab a drink at a bar? But you, Miss Miller... aren't you getting married tomorrow?"

"Not anymore."

If I had been sober, I wouldn't have missed the flash of pure joy that crossed Liam's face.

"What happened? Had a fight with Carter? Who was it this time? His secretary or some model?"

"He literally had a wedding ceremony with another woman today."

"Oh?"

I didn't say anything, just quietly stared at him.

Maybe it was the dim, intimate lighting of the bar, but my eyes couldn't help but drift to Liam's lips.

Liam was incredibly handsome—sharp eyebrows, striking eyes, a high bridge on his nose, and a perfectly chiseled jawline. He was six-foot-three with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Countless women threw themselves at him, but he never gave them a second glance. He had been single for as long as anyone could remember.

Carter had once gossiped to me that Liam didn't touch women because he had performance issues.

I took a sip of the ice water, trying to clear my head a bit.

"Mr. Rutherford, since we've known each other for so many years, let me give you a tip. Carter outbid you for that land in the north valley, right? Don't sweat it. The city is planning to build a major highway right through it. It can't be developed."

The north valley had beautiful scenery and was perfect for a luxury resort.

I knew Liam and Carter had been fighting tooth and nail for that land. A friend in the city planning department had told me the news a couple of days ago. I had planned to tell Carter, but I forgot because of the wedding prep. Seeing Liam reminded me of it.

The corners of Liam's mouth curved into a faint, teasing smirk:

"Giving me such a valuable piece of insider info? You're quite ruthless to your ex-fiancé."

"I was never a saint. Besides, he's done plenty to deserve it."

Just then, Liam's phone rang. He stepped aside to answer it. I stood up, swaying slightly, and decided to head out to catch a cab home.

I stood on the curb for ten minutes. No empty cabs were passing by, and my Uber app kept searching without success. Just as I was cursing my bad luck, a sleek Porsche Cayenne pulled up right in front of me.

The window rolled down, revealing Liam's handsome face.

"Why did you leave without waiting for me, Miss Miller?"

Without a second thought, I hopped into the passenger seat. Liam had undone the top two buttons of his dress shirt, revealing a hint of his toned chest.

I could have sworn those buttons were done up a minute ago.

Liam drove fast but steady. I dozed off for a bit, and by the time I opened my eyes, we were already parked downstairs at my apartment complex.

"I assume things with Carter are going to be hard to explain to your family?"

"I didn't realize the great Liam Rutherford was so interested in family drama."

"I'm not."

Liam leaned in close, his voice a low, husky whisper right by my ear: "I'm only interested in you."

"Oh, really?"

I let out a soft laugh, tracing my finger down his open collar in an teasing, intimate gesture.

"Is it appropriate for you to say that to a woman who literally just got dumped today, Mr. Rutherford?"

I leaned closer, my voice dripping with temptation.

"Want to come up to my place for a drink?"

In the adult world, some things don't need to be spelled out.

I wasn't completely out of it. I was sober enough to know that Liam was exactly my type.

But remembering the rumors about his "performance issues," I started to pull my hand back, preparing to say "just kidding."

To my surprise, Liam grabbed my hand in a firm grip:

"I'd love to."